


Fighting Through a Warzone

by HelloJello



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Army, Birthdays, Blended family, F/F, Fighting, Fluff and Angst, Guns, Laser Tag, Lasers, Light Angst, Modern, Modern times, No Apocalypse, PTSD, Past Army, Profanity, Retired Army, Swearing, War, ellie is at it again y'all, laser tag arena, lots of swearing, no zombies, vests, warzones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26166544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloJello/pseuds/HelloJello
Summary: Ellie saw the flash from the gun, her eyes widening in despair. The sound crushed her heart, and an animalistic cry ripped through her throat as she realized who the target had been. Agony seized her as she realized that-- once again-- she had been spared and that Dina, however, had not.In a rage, Ellie pulled her gun up and shot wildly, blindly, allowing her other senses to take over in the darkened landscapes. Occasionally there’d come a shout, a whine of despair, and Ellie would know she’d shot one of the bastards responsible. She was trembling as she yelled, “I’ll gut you all like pigs! You hear me? You’re dead! You’re fucking dead!”
Relationships: Dina & Ellie, Dina & Ellie & JJ, Dina & JJ, Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Dina/Jesse (past), Ellie & JJ
Comments: 13
Kudos: 128





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this idea came from or why but it popped into my head and I typed it out so here you go, I hope y'all enjoy!

It only took one moment for everything to change. One slip up, one second of letting her guard down, and suddenly what little control she’d had over the situation was wrenched from her grasp in the worst way imaginable. 

Ellie saw the flash from the gun, her eyes widening in despair. The sound crushed her heart, and an animalistic cry ripped through her throat as she realized who the target had been. Agony seized her as she realized that-- once again-- she had been spared and that Dina, however, had not. 

In a rage, Ellie pulled her gun up and shot wildly, blindly, allowing her other senses to take over in the darkened landscapes. Occasionally there’d come a shout, a whine of despair, and Ellie would know she’d shot one of the bastards responsible. She was trembling as she yelled, “I’ll gut you all like pigs! You hear me? You’re dead! You’re fucking dead!” 

“Ellie!” Dina scolded, barely suppressing an eye roll. “They’re twelve.” 

Suddenly a beep sounded from Dina’s gun. Another second and her vest had lit back up. She was back in the game. Good. It was two against ten, and Ellie needed all the help she could get. She turned to Dina with a triumphant smirk. 

“Are you ready?” 

“Yes,” Dina huffed, lifting her gun. “Just, please try to remember whose birthday it is?” 

“No promises,” Ellie grinned, and before Dina could say another word, the redheaded menace had taken off into the field, quickly disappearing into the dark laser tag arena. 

It was JJ’s twelfth birthday, and-- ever like his father-- he’d wanted to celebrate with a game of laser tag. Which would have been fine. It wasn’t like Dina and Jesse couldn’t afford it, especially when some of the other parents offered to chip in. No, the problem today wasn’t Dina’s ex-boyfriend or their child, or even the friends or parents of the friends that JJ had invited along. Dina’s biggest problem lay in wrangling her wife; more specifically, her wife’s competitiveness. 

Even though it was only a laser tag game and the “enemy soldiers” were a group of twelve year olds, Ellie insisted on treating it like she was back in the Army. The kids at least seemed to love it, though Dina had been given more than a few disapproving glares from the other parents. See, the issue was that Ellie tended to go full Army Sergeant in these situations, calling the children maggots and cursing up a storm. It was endearing, and Dina loved her with her entire being, but she also believed that shouting, “You think you’re tough shits? I’ve killed dozens of men more hardened than you, so adequately that they’re friends started to piss themselves if they caught a whiff of me! What do you think’s gonna happen to you if you don’t take off your boxers and use it to wave a white flag?” at a group of children was maybe not the best way to go. 

That was the main reason she was there now, darting around the dimly lit, foggy arena, instead of relaxing outside with the other parents. She was supposed to be keeping an eye on Ellie, making sure she didn’t toss out too many colorful phrases for the kids to take home. Also-- and she would never admit this to her wife-- she was a little worried about the effects this game might have on her. The darkened field, the guns, the cat-and-mouse feel of things… 

The war had changed Ellie. When she’d retired from the Army all those years ago, she’d been different. Shellshocked. She had been diagnosed with severe PTSD. Even now, there were still nights that she woke up screaming, her whole body trembling as she fought to keep the tears from spilling over. Ellie joked a lot about her fight in the war, but Dina knew it was only because she couldn’t handle it if she had to take things seriously. If she thought too hard about the things she’d done. If she let herself recall in too vivid details the fights she’d had, like the one that had cost Ellie two of the fingers from her left hand. She still never talked about that one. Dina still had no idea what exactly had happened, only that it had something to do with her Lieutenant, Abby Anderson. The one that was missing and called a deserter, and that had subsequently been charged with treason as well as sentenced to death-on-site if she ever dared show her face on U.S. soil. 

“Ellie?” Dina called, seeing her wife huddled on the ground. Her heart pounded in her chest, aching for the poor woman. She hated seeing her in pain. Every time, she wished desperately for some way to reverse the order of things, to make it so that Ellie would realize she didn’t have to carry the weight of her past all on her own. 

“Dina,” Ellie sighed. “I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” Dina asked. Ellie stood up, her hands in the air. She walked forward, and it was then that Dina noticed her son pushing the barrel of the laser tag gun into Ellie’s back. “Oh, for the love of god.” 

“Sorry, Mom,” JJ said with a smirk. “But I’m planning on winning this thing.” 

Dina raised a brow at him before turning to glare at her wife. “He gets that from you, y’know.” 

“I’m aware,” Ellie nodded, a look of deep regret on her face. It was the last thing she said before JJ pulled the trigger, and the blue lights in her vest powered down. Quick as a whip, JJ turned the gun on his mom and before Dina could think about raising her own gun in defense, his flashed red as he fired away at her and her vest powered down. Dina’s gun shut off as well, leaving her and Ellie both defenseless. 

“We’re raising a monster,” Dina mumbled, watching as her son disappeared into the arena. 

“I know,” Ellie agreed. “I’m so fucking proud!” 

Dina shook her head at the woman. Just then the lights came back on and a siren sounded from the loudspeakers, letting the players know that the game was over and it was time to hang back up the guns and the vests. Ellie perked up, her green eyes shining with excitement. 

“Alright,” Dina sighed, knowing where her wife’s head was at. “Let’s go check the score.” 

Ellie grinned and bolted out of the arena. Dina could only laugh as she practically threw her equipment back on the shelf. JJ was hot on her heels as the two dashed out of the room, heading directly to the screens outside to see which team had won. 

“Animals,” Dina scoffed, a fond smile on her lips. She took her time removing her vest and returning her gun. She even straightened up a little, not wanting to leave the haphazard mess caused by her wife and son. When everything was slightly more orderly, she headed for the door. 

“This is bullshit!” someone yelled from outside. 

Dina didn’t need anyone to tell her the indignant cry was from her wife. She sighed and stepped outside, metally preparing herself for what lay beyond. She was greeted with the sight of a scowling Ellie and a victorious looking JJ. Dina shook her head at the pair. 

“I take it we won?” 

“Not funny, Dina,” Ellie growled. “I creamed these fucking powderpuffs. Why the fuck does it say we lost?” 

“Because I’ve got skills you can only dream of,” JJ retorted. 

“Fuck you and your mother!” Ellie yelled back reflexively. 

“Hey!” Dina snapped as JJ laughed. She pulled Ellie close, keeping her voice at a low enough whisper that she knew her son wouldn’t overhear. “Keep up this behavior, and you’ll never fuck his mother again.” 

“Sorry,” Ellie immediately apologized, seeming sincere. 

“Better,” Dina told her. 

Ellie turned back to JJ, a sheepish expression on her face. “Good game, Potato Man.” 

JJ stuck his tongue out at her and darted back to his friends. They cheered for him, their top marksman, and laughed as he reenacted some of his shots for them. He made it a point of overexaggerating the facial expressions of his moms, and while it didn’t exactly thrill Dina to see it was nice to watch JJ relaxing and having fun with his friends.

“That little shit,” Ellie laughed, shaking her head at the scene. 

Dina smiled, and she pulled the other woman close so she could press a soft kiss to her lips. Ellie relaxed into her, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her head on Dina’s shoulder. She pressed her lips against the skin on Dina’s neck, eliciting a slight giggle from her wife. 

“Much better,” Dina commented, referring to Ellie’s behavior. 

Ellie chuckled, turning her head slightly so that Dina’s hair covered her blushing face. “Sorry if I embarrassed you earlier.” 

“You could never,” Dina promised her. “But you did tick off the other parents. I swear, if one of them calls me to complain about their kid saying anything even remotely inappropriate, I’m making you cook dinner  _ and  _ do the dishes for the rest of the month, all by yourself.” 

Ellie snorted. “We both know my cooking is more likely to be a punishment for you and JJ.” 

“Fine,” Dina laughed. “Then a month of dishes and laundry. That includes the folding.” 

“Deal,” Ellie grinned. She brushed her lips against Dina’s cheek, enjoying the simplicity of the moment. It was so good to be home. Even now, seven years after she’d gotten out of the military, the thought still snuck up on her.  _ It was good to be home. _ Dina smiled at her, and she turned her head to place another chaste kiss on Ellie’s waiting lips. 

“I think it’s time for cake,” Dina said. 

“Hell yeah it’s time for cake,” Ellie agreed. 

The kids were quick to gather around the table, and after a sweet but headache-inducing rendition of the happy birthday song the cake was dealt out in thick, heavy slices. Ellie caught Dina’s eye as she handed one of the parents a plate of cake. A flirty smile came unbidden to her face, and Dina returned it in full force. With a quick glance that showed everyone else in the room was preoccupied, Ellie mimed an obscene gesture that made Dina snort and turn away. Jesse gave them an odd look. Ellie feigned innocence, shoveling a bite of cake into her mouth as she pretended she had no idea what his stern look was about. She returned her gaze to her wife, who was shaking her head at her-- something she seemed to be doing more and more these days. Ellie smiled at her, feeling very content. 


	2. Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely angstier and fluffier than the last one. I wasn't planning on this one having more than the first chapter, but a couple people commented that they thought it would make a good fic so I decided to see what I could come up with. I don't think there will be any added chapters after this one, but I do hope y'all enjoy!

“Let me go.” 

Ellie stood frozen at the sight before her. Her heart beat so hard it rang in her ears, almost drowning out the thunder that roared overhead. It had to be a trick, an illusion of some sorts. She couldn’t possibly be seeing things right. 

“Please, just let me go,” Lieutenant Anderson said again, wrapping a protective arm around the uniformed boy behind her. The muted yellow, orange, and red color scheme of his clothes did not match the brown, green, and navy blue ones adorned by either of the armed women standing over him.

“What are you doing?” Ellie demanded, refusing to lower her gun. 

“He’s just a kid!” Abby yelled, desperate. “He’s done nothing wrong!” 

“Look at him!” Ellie returned, gesturing with her free hand at the blood soaked boy. “Look at his clothes! How many of our men does he have to kill for you to understand that he’s the enemy?” 

“He was drafted!” Abby told her. “He didn’t have a choice!” 

“Neither do I,” Ellie said, clicking the safety off her gun as she leveled it at the boy. Abby moved to stand between them. “Anderson, get out of the way.” 

“No,” Abby said, and she threw her gun on the ground. 

“Move!” Ellie commanded. 

“If you want to kill him, you’ll have to kill me.” 

“Stand down, Lieutenant!” Ellie bellowed. “That’s an order!” 

“Dammit Williams, just let us go!” Abby pleaded. 

Ellie tossed her weapon aside. For a moment, Abby’s eyes lit up with hope as the rifle clattered against the forest floor. Then Ellie rushed her, and the shorter girl tackled the two of them to the ground. The wind was knocked out of Abby and mud sloshed down into her pants and up her nose. The pouring rain made for crap visibility, but then again Abby didn’t need her sight to tell her where Ellie was. She could feel the girl on top of her, pinning her down. She could feel the hands of the Sergeant she so admired wrapping around her throat. She struggled underneath her, but it was no use. The mud and rain made it impossible to get a good hold on the earth; her body couldn’t find enough purchase to put up a real fight. Her vision started going dark, and as she stared up into Sergeant Williams’ forest green eyes, she would’ve sworn she saw a deep sea of remorse hidden in her irises. 

“No!” Lev cried, and the next thing Abby knew, Ellie’s hands were being wrenched away from her throat. 

Abby curled to the side, coughing and gasping for air. Her vision cleared a bit, and she saw Ellie and Lev struggling. It wasn’t long before Ellie kicked the boy off and started to scramble away. Abby blinked in confusion. She’d never seen the Sergeant back down from an unfinished fight. Then her eyes landed on what the girl was going for. 

“Don’t!” Abby screamed just as the woman reached her gun. 

“I’m sorry,” she thought she heard Ellie say. “It’s for the best.” 

Abby launched herself at her just as the bullet left the gun. The shot left a ringing in her ears as she collided with the Sergeant and the two slammed into the ground together once more. This time Abby had the advantage, and she easily managed to pin Ellie down as she slipped and squirmed in the mud below. She kept her hands at her chest, holding her down. She was hesitant to hurt her. Ever since they’d been assigned to the same squad, Ellie had been a friend and a confidant. The Sergeant had been there for her when one of the Colonels made an unwanted pass at her. If it hadn’t been for Ellie, the incident probably would’ve been swept under the rug. Instead, that Colonel had been demoted all the way back to a Private, something that was unheard of in military regulations. Sergeant Williams was a good person, she was just blind to the way things were handled on the Seraphite’s side of the war. 

Ellie stopped trying to shove the Lieutenant off of her. It was very clearly a vain attempt. Instead, she balled her hand into a fist and brought it up into Abby’s nose. It caught the woman off guard, and she loosened her grip enough for Ellie to wriggle out from underneath her. In a flash, Ellie threw herself onto the woman’s back and wrapped her arms around her throat from behind. Abby threw herself backward, crushing Ellie into the mud. The taller woman rolled away and Ellie immediately sat up, pushing herself onto her feet. She backhanded her Lieutenant across the face, the blood from her nose now staining Ellie’s fist. Abby stood up, grabbing Ellie by the shirt as she rammed the girl’s back against a tree. Ellie brought up a hand, shoving at Abby’s face desperately to try to force her away. Two of her fingers accidentally slipped past the woman’s lips, and almost reflexively Abby snapped her teeth together. 

An agonizing pain shot down the entirety of Ellie’s arm as blood flowed from the wound. She let out a scream as Abby backed away, horror written across both women’s faces. Ellie dove for her gun while Abby turned and grabbed Lev. The rain had picked up enough that by the time Ellie stood back up with her rifle clutched firmly in hand, the two had disappeared completely. 

“You can’t hide forever!” Ellie roared into the seemingly empty forest. “I’ll find you, and when I do you’re dead! You hear me, Anderson! You’re dead!” 

“Ellie!” a new voice called. 

Ellie bolted upright, swinging her fists wildly. Something was wrapped around her waist, keeping her pinned to the ground. It felt like a net maybe, or some other trap. Her surroundings had changed, and she let out a growl as she glared around the room, trying to find a source for the sudden change of scenery. She didn’t settle down until her eyes landed on Dina standing beside the bed, her face a mask of worry and concern. It was then that she realized she’d been dreaming, and the trap keeping her on the ground was merely the sheets affixed to the mattress. She let out a sigh and layed back down. 

Guilt immediately washed over her when Dina climbed back into bed next to her and she saw a red mark on the woman’s cheek. “Did I do that?” 

“You were asleep,” Dina told her, and Ellie’s bottom lip began to tremble. “Ellie, you didn’t do it on purpose. You-- Where are you going?” 

“Couch,” Ellie mumbled, grabbing a pillow as she forced herself to her feet. “I’m not going to let myself keep hurting you.” 

“Ellie, it was an accident,” Dina assured her. 

“Exactly,” Ellie sighed, a tear sliding down her cheek. “It was an accident, meaning I can’t even fucking control it. I can’t--” 

“Lay down,” Dina commanded, catching her by the wrist. “Just lay down for a second. Okay? Catch your breath.” 

Ellie hesitated, but in the end she gave in. She cautiously slid back into bed next to her wife, her breaths coming out shaky as her whole body trembled. Dina wrapped her arms around the woman, and Ellie leaned back against Dina’s chest. Her wife brought a hand to her head, gently stroking her fingers through tangled auburn hair. 

“I’m sorry,” Ellie murmured. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Dina offered, pressing a kiss to her wife’s bare shoulder blade. 

“It was just…” Ellie let out a huff. “I was, um, just dreaming about Anderson again.” 

“Oh,” Dina said. She knew Ellie wasn’t going to say anything more. She knew that meant Ellie had been back in the jungle, fighting with Abby and walking away with a maimed hand. She pressed another kiss against Ellie’s skin, this one landing on the base of her neck. “She’s gone, babe. You’re home now. You’re safe. You’re back with me, and with JJ.” 

“Speaking of,” Ellie murmured, sounding embarrassed. “Did I wake him up at all? Was I loud, or…” 

“You were muttering a little,” Dina confessed, “but there was no yelling this time. JJ should be fine.” 

“Good,” Ellie said, sighing in relief. “That’s good. Little shit has school tomorrow. I’d hate for him to use his mentally unstable step mom as an excuse to sleep through his math quiz.” 

Dina rolled her eyes at the obvious attempt at humor. “You’re  _ not  _ mentally unstable.” 

“You’re right, I’m perfectly healthy,” Ellie laughed drily. “This is precisely how healthy brains function.” 

“You suffered through a traumatic event and you have PTSD,” Dina gently reminded her. “No one just walks away from that kind of shit.” 

“And you think it’s okay?” Ellie scoffed. “For you and for JJ? Christ, he doesn’t need to hear his mom’s wife screaming her head off every other night, and you don’t need to get decked in the face every time you try to sleep next to me--” 

“Hey!” Dina snapped, taking Ellie’s face in her hands. “Calm down, okay? Calm. Down. You don’t get to tell me how to parent my kid. I think you’re beautiful, and you’re kind, and you’re  _ trying.  _ You hate therapy, but you go twice a week  _ for us.  _ You take medication and you go to support groups and you  _ try.  _ That’s all we can ask of you. I know it sucks, and I know moments like this make it feel like you haven’t made any progress but I promise you that you have. We will make it through this, Ellie. I’m here for you. JJ is too, and even Jesse is. We’re all right here with you. Just don’t pull away.” 

Ellie stared at her, an unreadable expression on her face. For a moment, Dina was terrified that she’d lost her, but then the woman surged forward and she crashed their lips together. Dina moved a hand to Ellie’s hair, pulling her closer as Ellie slid a leg over Dina’s stomach. They pulled apart, and Ellie rested her head on Dina’s chest. 

“I don’t deserve you,” she murmured. 

“You deserve the world,” Dina argued, laying a hand on her wife’s back. 

Ellie planted a kiss on her throat. “You’re my world.” 

Dina smiled, rubbing circles on her wife’s back. She hummed a little bit, and eventually Ellie’s breathing evened out and a slight snore passed through her lips. She fell asleep, and sometime after that Dina drifted off as well. After that, they both managed to sleep through the night. Neither of them woke up again until the soft, morning light filtered in through the window signaling that it was time to get up and get JJ ready for school.


End file.
